Better than a Knife
by StBridget
Summary: Steve keeps leaving Danny hints for his birthday, but Danny has something better in mind. Est. McDanno.


**Hawaii Five-0 is property of CBS and its creators.  
**

 **A/N: Inspired by the prompt: "No, I'm not buying you a knife for your birthday!" "But it's pretty!" "No!"**

The hints started appearing on Danny's desk about a month before Steve's birthday. The first few suggestions were fairly mundane, things Steve could easily buy for himself ("No, Steven, I'm not buying you cargo pants!" "Why not?" "Because you can buy your own damn pants!") By the second week, they were getting more specific, but still impersonal ("Camping gear? Why camping gear?" "Because our old gear is worn out." "But we never use it!" "Whose fault is that, Danno?"). By the third week, they had reached what Danny considered an appropriate level of meaningfulness, but they were not, in his opinion, items one should give a reckless maniac with a death wish. When the ad for the latest and greatest hunting knife, complete with option for personalized messages, showed up, Danny stalked into Steve's office, ad in hand.

"I'm not buying you a knife for your birthday, Steven!" Danny said. Hopefully, if he stated his case plainly and in small words, Steve would get the point.

"But it's pretty!" Steve protested. So much for that hope.

"No! Just no!" Danny said, adamantly. "You're dangerous enough without me giving you a weapon."

"Awww," Steve said, "you think I'm dangerous. I'm touched."

Danny stared at him in amazement. "Seriously? That's what you get out of this discussion?"

Steve sighed. "You're not getting me a knife for my birthday. I get it, Danno. I was just trying to be helpful."

"Well, you can just stop it! I don't need your help!" Steve looked hurt, and Danny realized he may have come across more strongly than he intended. "It's just that I already got your present," he continued in a softer voice.

Steve perked up. "Really? What did you get me?"

"Now, that would spoil the surprise, wouldn't it?" Danny said, mysteriously. "Just take it from me, it's better than a knife."

"I don't know, Danno," Steve said, part serious, part teasing, "I'm not sure anything's better than a knife."

Danny smirked at him. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see."

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The truth was, Danny _wasn't_ sure his gift was better than a knife. A knife, he knew Steve wanted. What if the SEAL _didn't_ want Danny's present? Danny would be crushed. He'd poured his heart and soul into the gift, agonizing for months over whether to get it at all, whether it would be too much, then spent weeks getting just the right one. Maybe he should get that knife after all. . .No. Danny was going to stick with what he'd bought, come hell or high water, and just hope Steve would like it.

Danny did chicken out on giving Steve his gift in front of their ohana. That had been the original plan. Everyone was coming over for burgers and beer in celebration, and Danny was going to make a big production of giving Steve his gift after all the others had been opened. He had it in his pocket and everything, but at the last minute he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He could see Steve's look of disappointment when he realized there was no present from Danny, but Danny told himself the gift would make up for it when he finally gave it to Steve.

Danny kept delaying though, holding off while he and Steve cleaned up, telling himself the time just wasn't right. It was when they were sitting in front of the TV, Danny sprawled out with his feet kicked up on the coffee table and his arms along the back of the sofa, Steve hunched over, elbows on his knees, chin in his hands, that Danny finally spoke up.

"I didn't forget," he said.

"Huh?" Steve asked, confused.

"I didn't forget your birthday. I did get you a present."

"So, why didn't you give it to me?" Steve asked. There was an edge to his voice, a challenge, a demand.

Danny put his feet down and leaned forward to mimic Steve. "I was scared."

Steve was puzzled. "Why would you be scared?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't like it," Danny said.

Steve straightened and put his hand on Danny's knee. "You know I'll like anything you get me, Danny."

"I'm not sure about this," Danny said, nervously. "It's pretty personal."

"What, like monogramed underwear?" Steve joked.

Danny didn't find it funny. "Not exactly."

"Then what?" Something occurred to him. "Did you get me a sex toy? I know we don't usually use them, but I wouldn't be adverse, you know, if you wanted to try that kind of thing. . ."

Danny was mortified. "God, no, babe! I like our sex life just fine!"

"So, what is it?" Steve asked. "What was so personal you couldn't give it to me in front of our friends?"

"This." Danny slid down to the floor until he was on his knees in front of Steve.

"A blow job?" Steve asked.

"Will you get your mind out of the gutter?" Danny said. "Christ! I swear, the things you think up in the big brain of yours. No, you idiot, I'm trying to ask you to marry me!"

Steve was speechless. "What?"

Danny reached into his pocket and pulled out the box he'd been carrying around all day. He opened it to display a simple brushed gold band. He took a deep breath. "Steve McGarrett, will you marry me?"

Steve took the band and looked at it. He noticed something engraved in it. _Better than a knife_ it said. "Well, I guess this just _might_ be better than a knife," he said.

"So, is that a yes?" Danny asked, hardly daring to hope.

Steve leaned forward and captured Danny's lips in an intense kiss, hoping to pour his answer into the simple gesture. "Of course it's a yes," he said.

"Thank god," Danny breathed, relieved.

"But you know," Steve said with a smirk, "you could have gotten me a knife, too."

"Goof," Danny said fondly, and kissed him again.

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A/N: Been doing a lot of action-related fics lately, and was in the mood for some good ole fluff. Hope you liked it!


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